04 I OPINION THE GLOBE AND MAIL I SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2020 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2020 I THE GLOBE AND MAIL OPINION I 09

Remembrance 'fl-IE P1\ll'TY ()F \:VORl(ING PE()PLE Day can have a painful effect on I IAS FOil l)[Ct\l)ES Ill]]\ \1VOilSE children from military fan1ilies Trump 1\'l' 'l'OUCHll\(� HE�t\ll'l'S 1\Nl) • Trump ELLEN CLARK 1 IS i\lINl)S TH1\\T 'l'HE CONSER.\'A' l'I\ E .OPINION T Writer who grew up in a military doing Pi\Irr, ()F 11vs[\ESS family and is currently working lo creates complete her undergraduate studies in Toronto RUMOURS OF exactly emembrance Day ceremo­ THEDEATHOF nies are solemn, if boring, his own Raffairs for elementary and w h a t POPULISMHAVE high-school students. For most, they provide an excuse to leave BEEN MUCH the classroom for 45 minutes. El ect· Ions But to those intimately connect­ he EXAGGERATED ed to the military, these ceremo­ rea ity nies take on another purpose: as a ritual that forces them to rumi­ said nate on what was, or could po­ are won tentially be, the worst moments of their lives. The U.S. clearly remains If you have grown up in a mil-· he itary family as I have, you know the pain associated with having in a great democracy someone you care about de­ would the ployed, and the anxiety of won­ dering whether you will see alas, longer a them again. Remembrance Day but, no ceremonies, with their images of do coffins and shattered families, centre model liberal democracy bring these feelings to the fore­ front. Remember those times, they tell the children. The nights you worried and dreamt of a loved one dying; or worse, the day you fow1d out they were dead. Relive them. Wallow in them. And Democracy is thriving in America think of the countless others to whom they happened also. Now hold in your tears, child. Your friends can't see you cry. For a ceremony that is sup­ posed to be a caution against vi­ olence, this outcome runs coun­ Insights from The Globe's election roundtable: ter to its core message. There are no physical blows present to be The Netherlands' Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander pay their respects during a wreath-laying ceremony for National Remembrance sure, but anxiety and grief can be Day on May 4 in Amsterdam. MISCHA SCHOEMAKER/ANP/AFP VIA GETIY IMAGES Five experts offer their perspective on the U.S. presidential just as painful; especially when you are young and have to bear election, the state of American democracy and the future of those emotions alone. And here some will rightly counter: Is this not the point of politics in a country divided Remembrance Day? To remedy A CELEBRATION that sense of isolation? To bring people together and share in a • OPINION 2016 and 2020 are more similar PRESTON: Though I'm still always JOHNSTON:Trumpism will contin­ tags efficiently. Democrats need collective grief? than anticipated. I am dis­ shocked by Trump, nothing ue because Trump is the symp­ to teach people how much they When it was first introduced, WORTH REMEMBERING TIMOTHY GARTON ASH is professor appointed more Americans actually surprises me about his tom, not the civic disease of an are taxed to subsidize big busi­ yes. And in ceremonies where all of European Studies al Oxford don't recognize the risks Trump behaviour any more. Election increasingly corporatist society. ness and wealthy individuals, who attend have a personalcon­ Canadians should look to the Netherlands forinspiration on more meaningful ways University, a Senior Fellow al the poses to our democracy. night was standard Trump­ The infamous 1971 Powell memo cutting into money for programs nection to war and death, then Hoover Institution, Stanford erratic and unhinged, but none­ urged corporate leaders to bring that benefitthem or lower tax perhaps this is the case. to commemorate our soldiers' efforts during the Second World War University, and the author of Free DAVID CAY JOHNSTON: That Trump theless strategically shrewd. the news media to heel while burdens. But in public schools, the cere­ World: America, Europe & the got millions more votes than in blunting civic, consumer, labour mony remains only to serve a Surprising Future of the West. 2016, despite having misman­ LEPORE: Trump is doing exactly and social-justice organizations, GARTON ASH: That elections are bureaucratic function; an anti­ KAREN HUNTER the annual trek. Thousands are turned aged the pandemic, contrib­ what he said he would do. There's recommendations the business won in the centre. That the quated tradition for a bygone away. Plans are under way to relaunch BRUCE HEYMAN was the U.S. uting to more than 300,000 nothing remotely surprising community successfully imple­ Democrats can't count on always time that has real, harmful con­ Remembrance in Canada this event next summer. ambassador lo Canada from 2014 lo extra deaths, was surprising. about it mented. My worry is about a having the Hispanic/Latinx vote. sequences for the very children it .OPINION needs to be redefined and Fall in the Netherlands is a time to 2017. He is the co-author of The Ari Voters also re-elected most of future political leader who has That all of us, small-I liberals, is meant to support. re-energized; it needs to be as commemorate the Battle of the Scheidt of Diplomacy: Strengthening the the Republican senators who GARTON ASH: Frankly, unprintable Trump's charisma but is also a need a much deeper, more rad­ Because presentations of po­ Founder of the not-for-profits In Our Fathers' much about the future as it is and Operation Market Garden. Canada-U.S. Relationship in Times of chose to become politicaljellyf­ in a family newspaper. This was competent executive, hard­ ical renewal of liberalism. ems and videos illustrating war­ Footsteps and The Canadian Remembrance In September, the Light Route in Eind­ Uncertainty. ish - blind, spineless and adrift the most shocking thing I have working, steeped in philosophy fare do not aid children in under­ Torch.She is the daughter of a Second World about the past. It needs to be hoven honours, by lights placed in resi­ in waves of Trumpian chaos. heard from the mouth of an and focused on using the Amer­ HEYMAN: While participation in standing the realities of war; nor, War veteran. more frequent, more engaging, dents' windows, the Liberation forces DAVID CAY JOHNSTON, a Pulitzer American president, certainly ican government to eviscerate our election was robust, too I would argue, is this something more joyful. More creative, who were welcomed there in 1944. Since Prize-winning investigative reporter If not outright wrong, many polls since Richard Nixon. It means the liberties of the people while many people triedto hurt our we even want to have happen. hen it comes to honouring then, lights in every shape and size trans­ and editor-in-chief al DCReporl.org, underestimated Donald Trump's millions of Trump voters will favouringbusiness. election through their actions School children are not capable Canada's Second World War more participative, more form the city annually in remembrance. wrote The Making of Donald Trump chances. Is it time to rethink our probably go on denying the basic and language. We need to protect of processing these kinds of trau­ veterans and war dead, the inclusive. And, most important, Even on Christmas Eve, the Dutch re­ and /f's Even Worse Than You Think: obsession with polls? legitimacy of a Biden presidency. PRESTON: It's here to stay, at least our postal system from interfe­ matic experiences. We should be Dutch set the gold standard. more celebratory. member our soldiers. In solemn twilight, What the Trump Administration Is for the next little while. The GOP rence. We need to also develop thankful, therefore, that most CanadaW would do well to claim bronze. schoolchildren place glowing candles at 0o;ng to Amer;ca. His book on PRESTON: Most definitely.Polling JOHNSTON: Donald Trump creates will have trouble exorcizing it processes that allow people to kids shrug off the messages of Not that remembrance is a competition, every Canadian soldier's grave. Like their Trump's money and taxeswill be now skews the actual outcome his own reality. His declaration of from their soul,but they'll have vote easily and safely while these ceremonies as soon as they but like the Olympics, mastery reflects na­ parents, these children attribute their published next year. by either encouraging or dis­ victory and his baseless charges of to because who else can wield securing protections frombad reach the gymnasium door. tional pride, focused effort and unwa­ freedom and peace to the Allied sacrifice couraging people from turning election frauddemonstrate his Trumpism but Trump? We'll see actors. But for those children who vering commitment to keep the flame and know the importance of keeping re­ JILL LEPORE is a professor of out to vote because the polls utter disregard for the American if he fades like Sarah Palin, but I have lived through their family burning. membrance alive. Across the country, 110 American history at Harvard seem to tell them it's all but Constitution, which his own doubt it. Will he now try to set up members leaving for months at a In the Netherlands, every day is a re­ communities participate in this heartfelt University and a staffwriter at The decided. statements show he doesn't one of his kids? What do the results tell you about time, or have had someone they membrance day. Spring, summer, fall, tradition. New Yorker.A two-timePulitzer understand in either letter or the United States and the future of love die, the last thing they need winter. Not a day goes by witl1out a veter­ The Dutch have never forgotten tl1at Prize finalist, her books include GARTON ASH: Nice idea, but no spirit. Donald really believes he is LEPORE: After 2016, Trump's oppo­ democracy in the country? is to be reminded of that grief an commemoration. Take the Sunset more than So per cent of their country These Truths:A Historyof the United chance in reality. What I do the smartest among us and nents decided he was a fluke. while surrounded by hundreds March across the Oversteek bridge in Nij­ was liberated by Canadian troops. Begin­ Slates, This America: The Case for think is that newspapers, and should be in charge of not just They were wrong. JOHNSTON: American democracy of their schoolmates. They don't megen, for example. Every evening, a ning with the 40th anniversary of the the Nation and, most recently, If other media, should devote less America but the world. Few in remains vulnerable to author­ need to be told by a school ad­ slow, silent march is led by the "Veteran of Dutch liberation in 1985, and every five Then: How s;mulmatics Corporation time to speculating about what public life dare call that what it is: What, if any, lessons can Democrats itarianism because the lowest­ ministrator how terrible it is to the Day." Overhead lights illuminate one years thereafter, Canadian veterans have Invented the Future. will happen tomorrow and delusional. learn from this election? earning 90 per cent are saddled lose a person because of the mil­ by one as the veteran passes, each light been welcomed to stay in Dutch homes to more to reporting what hap­ with debt, uncertain employ­ itary; they know. They have representing an Allied soldier killed there attend spectacular celebrations. Treated ANDREW PRESTON is a professor of pened yesterday. The formerwe HEYMAN: This was reprehensible, PRESTON: That's a very difficult ment and little to no savings. imagined it and lived through it, during Operation Market Garden. like royalty, our veterans came to realize American history al the University of don't know, the latter we have dangerous to our democracy and question because it's so unclear They reported significantlyless possibly multiple times. On May 4, on Remembrance of the that what they had done was extraordin­ Cambridge whose books include some chance of knowing. it was not surprising. There is no right now. This much is certain: income in 2018 than 1973, effec­ Modern mandated displays of Dead, the Dutch honour all who perished ary and that they were worthy of such Sword of the Sp;rit, Shield of Faith: limit to this man's mendacity, Even if Biden eventually wins, tively getting by on so weeks of public grief do not help children, in the Second World War, including more praise. Thanks to these events, many of Re/;g;on in American War and HEYMAN: I think polls can be greed and hunger for power. this is a massively disappointing income instead of 52. Civics is so even when conducted under the than 7,600 Canadian soldiers of the them opened up about their war experi­ Diplomacy. constructive when they reveal Trump's comments were flat-out night for the Democratic Party lightly touched on in public guise of education. As Lemony 175,000 who served in the nine-month ences for the first time. unexpected trends and opinions wrong. This is not how our electo­ and an ominous warning sign for schools that it's easy to find Snicket once wrote, "If you have campaign to liberate the Netherlands. Despite the passage of three-quarters of With the caveat that votes are still but recently, it is clear the proc­ ral process works and any sug­ the future of the party. middle-age adults who don't ever lost someone very impor­ Soon after the war, Dutch families"adopt­ a century, daily mindfulness, sincere grat­ being counted in several states, ess pollsters are using is deeply gestion that he can decide what understand our constitutional tant to you, then you already ed" these Canadian soldiers' graves and itude and dedicated appreciation of free­ what surprised you most about the flawed. During this campaign, I votes to count is false. LEPORE: Democrats have a lot of checks and balances or even the know how it feels, and if you have maintained them - from one gener­ dom permeate the Dutch culture. Using election results? asked people to ignore the polls lessons to learn fromthis elec­ role of Congress in making laws. haven't, you cannot possibly be­ ation to the next - for more than seven creativity, ingenuity and sheer determina­ because their results could Whether he wins or loses, what do tion, but there were a lot of gin to imagine." decades. On Remembrance of the Dead, tion to never forget, the Dutch counter­ TIMOTHY GARTON ASH: That so many fostercomplacency. I am glad I the results tell you about the future lessons they should have learned LEPORE: Turnout broke records Why must we forceour kids to school children place tulips at each head­ balance of solemn commemoration and Americans still voted for Trump, did. of "Trumpism"? from2016, and did not, largely and the elections were conduct­ wallow in their grief, then? So we stone and bulbs - by the thousands - are festive celebration keeps the spirit of re­ despite, and perhaps sometimes because they decided he was a ed peacefully. That part is good! as adults can quote some pretty gifted to Canada by the Dutch royal family membrance alive, while providing oppor­ even because of, his character. JOHNSTON: The 2016 presidential GARTON ASH: That it has much too fluke. The most satisfying expla­ words and feel better about our­ in gratitude for providing them refuge tunities for adults to model remembrance Rumours of the death of pop­ polls were highly accurate on bright a future, and not just in the nation, for Democrats, about HEYMAN: Democracy is thriving in selves? We need to do better and here. for their children. ulism have been much exagger­ the national popular vote, but U.S. I fear that the likely economic 2016, was that Hillary Clinton America - we had active debates, actually support the children we This year, the Netherlands' numerous ning of May s - Dutch remembrance Yes, the Dutch lived for five years with ated- and not just in the U.S. Americans elect presidents by consequences of the COVJD was a terrible candidate and ran record turnout and record votes are meant to take care of. veteran commemorations have been transforms from solemn reflection to fes­ war on tl1eir doorstep; they have reason state through the Electoral pandemic will produce condi­ a terrible campaign. Both of forthe likely president-elect. If you are concerned about forced to pause or scale back owing to tive commemoration. A torch is lit in Wa­ to feel·as they do. But, lest we forget, our ANDREW PRESTON: That election College, where the polls were tions - unemployment, insecuri­ those statements are true! But Even with all the bluster and the lessons of the past being for­ coronavirus precautions, but there's still a geningen and a team of 1,300 runners car­ soldiers were there, too - in the thick of it. day went offso smoothly - no not tightly focused.Despite ty, high public debt, perhaps Biden was not a terrible candi­ threats fromTrump, the election gotten, fund educational pro­ lot Canadians can learn from the tradi­ ry the flame, in relay, to 200 Dutch com­ What's more, their legacy of peace, free­ riots, no gun-toting militias, no refinements, this year's polls inflation - conducive to populist date and did not run a terrible happened on time as scheduled grams and donate to war mu­ tional cycle of Dutch commemorative munities. And so begins Liberation Day, a dom and friendship is as relevant today as shocking instances of violence or clearly overestimated support nationalism in many places. campaign. So Democrats have and the American people select­ seums. If it is current children of events. For example, in normal times, joyous celebration of freedom including it is tomorrow. obvious fraud. And that it was a for [Joe] Biden. That said, I wish some big questions to ask about ed their representatives fromthe military families you want to you'll need a reservation to attend the music festivals, military parades, re-enact­ Remembrance in Canada needs to be decidedly mixed election for the my fellow journalists had paid HEYMAN: Trumpism is antithetical why they can't win elections. local school board to president. help, give to clubs and programs May 4 ceremony at Holten Canadian War ments, guided tours, street theatre and redefined and re-energized; it needs to Democrats: The strong showings less attention to the horse race to our value system and with it, that bring those children togeth­ Cemetery, since capacity is limited to festival markets. be as much about the future as it is in Arizona and Georgia are offset and more to policy proposals as places our country's most vul­ JOHNSTON: The party of working GARTON ASH: The U.S. clearly er and provide support for s,ooo. The cemetery's visitor centre and Veteran remembrance in the summer? about the past. It needs to be more fre­ by really underwhelming results well as scrutinizing the charac­ nerable citizens in jeopardy. people has for decades been remains a great democracy but, them. museum is home to a massive database of Absolutely! The Four Days Marches in Nij­ quent, more engaging, more joyful. More in congressional races. ter and conduct of candidates. However, many voters who have worse at touching hearts and alas, no longer a model liberal But do not force upon our Canadian soldiers' photos and personal megen, for example, is a gruelling walk of creative, more participative, more inclu­ not flourished under Trumpism minds than the conservative democracy. So it is up to other children the image of those they stories. Similar databases can be found at more than 200 kilometres that honours sive. And, most important, more celebra­ JILL LEPORE: I thought the Demo­ The President at first claimed "a continue to remain loyal and party of business. Nor are they liberal democracies, such as love dying. School should be a Bergen op Zoom and at Groesbeek Ceme­ veterans and includes a stop at Groesbeek tory. crats would pick up Senate seats. big win" and then cast doubts on engaged. We need to attain a effectiveat organizing; as a Australia, Britain, France and sanctuary from the rest of the tery, where an initiative is under way to Cemetery to pay tribute to the Canadian As we enter a new era of remembrance the validity of the results. What did more nuanced grasp as to why public speaker, I'm always struck Germany, to be the new "shining world, not a sledgehammer to create a plaque for each of its 2,617 head­ soldiers buried there. In normal times, marked by the passing of our Second BRUCE HEYMAN: Honestly, I was you make of his behaviour in the and make necessary adjustments that conservative groups run city upon a hill." Or, in Canada's drive in the pain that already stones, etched with the Canadian soldier's participants count themselves lucky if World War veterans, it's time for Canada very surprised at how close the early hours of Wednesday morn­ to prevent this fromhappening meetings on time, while progres­ case, the shining city upon a may be prevalent in a student's photo. they are among the maximum 48,000 to follow the Dutch example - and go for Traditionally, at midnight - the begin- participants chos 0n by lottery to walk in gold. electi,onturned out. In reality, ing. ai;.ain. sives can't even distribute name prairie. life.

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